Doha Local Customs

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Although Qatari people dress in a very traditional way, there is no dresscode for foreigners - which means that you could wear whatever you like. In practice - while you are not required to wear a dishdasha or an abbaya - it would be so much better to wear some modest clothes, which means no shorts for men, no mini-skirts for women, and no tank tops for both.

Judging from what my (conservative) Libyan friend Hajer wears, I would say that if you are a lady, you really don't need to wear baggy clothes... She covers up very well, with trousers and long-sleeved blouses, but her clothes are very fashionable and tight-fitting. Occasionally she would wear a short dress over light long trousers. If you are not a muslim, there's no need to wear a headscarf... and no one will give you strange looks if you don't wear it.

Qatar is an islamic state and as a courtesy, visitors should dress modestly. Normal swimwears, including bikinis, is acceptable on the beach or by the pool, but t-shirts and discreet covering of the legs is desirable if you move away from these places. Topless sunbathing is not permitted.
Be particularly conscious of your dress code when visiting public places like the malls or parks or souq areas especially areas frequented by mixed nationalities. Women should avoid wearing spaghetti-strap or see-though blouses and short skirts.
It is considered particularly important to dress modestly during the Holy Fasting month of Ramadan.

Beers, wines and other alcoholic drinks can only be found at bars located at hotels. There are stiff fines for consuming alcohols other than on licensed premises, or at home (if you have a liquor permit).
Drink-driving is a serious offense and the country applies zero tolerance attitude to drugs.
No establishments serve alcohols during the days of Ramadan.

Everytime you are offered a drink in an office or house, it is an insult to refuse a tea or a drink.
When you are done and you don't want another, shake the tea cup handle from side to side to let them know you are done and dont want another.

Before Qatar's vast natural gas reserves were discovered, pearl diving (along with fishing) was once the backbone of the country's economy. Divers lived out at sea on pearling boats for three to four months at a time, and used no equipment other than a nose clip, a net for holding the oysters, and lead weights which they tied around their feet to help them sink to the bottom. From sunrise to sunset they would take turns diving to collect as many oysters as they could before they ran out of breath. When the Japanese started farming cultured pearls, the pearl diving industry collapsed. The gentleman seen in the photo is sometimes found in the heritage village in Rumeilah Park giving demonstrations on pearl diving. He still dives too, but nowadays he uses scuba gear. Pearls are still highly prized and can be found for sale as jewelry in the gold souq.

It was first time meeting up my auditor in his office. Well, I had offer a hand shake but rejected by him because Islamic guys don't touch womens' hand unless they are husband and wife. I came from a Muslim country too, so I understand why he rejected my hand shake. It would be better to greet them by saying "Hello", "Good morning", "Good afternoon" or "Good evening".

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The traditional sword dance, known as the Ardha, is performed in Qatar on special occasions such as religious holidays and national celebrations. I caught a glimpse of it one night when I happened upon a large gathering at this event hall next door to my housing compound. I was told by a fellow bystander - an Egyptian woman - that the people at the gathering were all members of the richest family in Qatar, the Al Amaniya (sp?) family, who owns more than half the country. They were celebrating an event that had happened long ago in their family's history; she wasn't exactly sure what. After explaining as much as she could, she told me quietly, 'A Qatari would not tell you this. They consider this to be inside information, not for outsiders.' As she walked away I thanked her for the secret information and continued to watch the dance through the iron gate.

To an outsider like myself both the singing and dancing can seem quite repetitive, as the dancers seem to repeat the same phrase over and over again as they perform the same hop step while raising their swords in the air. Once I researched it a bit, though, it began to make more sense. I found out that the Ardha traces its origins to bedouin days and is also performed in neighbouring countries like Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. It combines dance and poetry, with a poet moving back and forth between two lines of singers and dancers. The poet gives each group of singers a line to repeat before moving across to the other group. The traditional lyrics are of chivalry and strength and adapt to each occasion across generations.

In Qatar you will probably see some expat residents wearing anything from shorts to spagetti-strap tops. While most likely no Qatari will ever tell you that you shouldn't be wearing this, that does not mean that they don't take offense to it.

Consider what the Qataris themselves wear - both men and women are completely covered from head to toe in loose, nonrevealing robes, and additionally for women the face is often covered by a veil as well. While I'm not suggesting a foreign women should wear a veil or even cover her head, it is respectful to wear loose-fitting clothes that cover the limbs. You will be much better received this way, and will avoid alot of unwanted attention from men as well.

While you can probably find suitable clothes in your own wardrobe, if you want to buy something here then try the long cotton robes for sale in the shopping malls, the souqs, or even the large supermarkets such as Carrefour. I've found these to be the most comfortable thing to wear in the heat, and nowadays I often wear them at home too.

For men, while short sleeves are OK, it's really best not to go out in shorts, no matter how hot it is outside.